Striking - Meeting TheOdd1sOut Fanfiction
by VytalFest
Summary: It's a normal day working at the bowling alley. Well, normal in the general vibe, but it's hot and humid and all you want to do is get a drink and go home. However, life has something different in mind as one of your favorite Youtubers strolls on in and asks for a few games. - I just wanted to write a scenario in which the reader initially meets James.


This is maybe going to be just a oneshot. At most probably a threeshot. I hope you enjoy! It isn't all that entertaining.

The humid air feels absolutely dreadful to you on this one day in particular. For whatever reason, mother nature has decided that today is the day she wants to make everyone extremely laggard in unbearable heat and humidity. It doesn't help that the fans aren't working. Your limbs are sticky with beads of sweat and, though you are hard at work, your thoughts begin to wander towards what flavor boba tea you should purchase on the way home. Normally, you would get Thai, but you're a little curious about the new flavor that Panda's Express has started putting out. Well, while you're there you might as well get some dinner. You are so deep in thought, thinking about your delicious end to a long day of work, that you hardly notice the figure standing on the other side of the counter. You quickly straighten your shoulders and put on a soft, welcoming smile that makes your eyes appear smaller than they actually are.

"Hello! How can I help you?" The man before you looks pretty young. You yourself are only nineteen years old, but he couldn't be older than maybe twenty, twenty-one, tops. You have to admit that his face sparks a sense of familiarity in you, though you can't quite determine why.

"Hey," he says with a voice that vaguely reminds you of a ramble-type Youtuber. What was his name again? "Could I get a few games?"

"Of course," you say, turning your attention to the panel of buttons and switches to your right, as well as the cash register. "How many games will you be bowling?"

The man takes a few quick seconds to think before he finally answers. "I think three should be good."

You nod, your fingers flying over the black control buttons, functioning totally by muscle memory.

"Alright, three games. Will you be needing shoes as well?"

"Yes, please."

"Alright," you say, still on autopilot. "Size?" Just because you're feeling so nice today, you decide to add, "two sizes down from your actual shoe size."

"Uhh six, please."

"And your name, please." You don't really need his name just to turn the lanes on. In reality, you would only need to ask for his name if he bought an item from the mini shop and you had to take inventory. You guess you just want to figure out why he's so damn familiar.

He shoots you a look but answers anyway. "It's James."

OH.

OH. WELL DON'T YOU FEEL SMART.

That's why he's so familiar! He's James from TheOdd1sOut! When you were in junior high you would spend your free time reading his comics. At some point, though, he started focusing more of his time into making YouTube videos, which you didn't really have a problem with. Hey, you got to hear the voice behind the comics and find out more about him, along with the rest of the people who enjoy his content.

"TheOdd1sOut?"

His face morphs from one of casual indifference to one of glee for being recognized, even here at this irregular location - one of maybe nine bowling alleys on the island of Oahu. _What is he even doing here,_ you can't help but wonder.

James nods. "Yep, the one and only. Sorry I didn't post anything about coming here," he apologizes, appropriately guessing your train of thought. "The video should be processing right now. That's actually partially why I came out here. I might as well have some fun doing something new while I'm here." His eyes dart to the side and farther down the alley at the food bar. "Is there anything you would recommend doing after this?"

"Well," you start, pulling a pair of size six shoes out of a cubbie and placing it on the countertop, "I don't mean to sound like a pleb, but normal tourists would go to the beach or on a hike or even to a luau - basically, anywhere but a bowling alley."

"To be fair, I was in search of some sweet local food and in the traffic found myself here in this grand ol' alley. Besides, I don't really think you should be complaining; you get to talk to yours truly."

"Good point. You're on lane five, by the way."

He seems kind of disappointed to have to leave the one person who knows who he is in an unfamiliar setting so, after a few seconds of internal debate, you turn on lane six. You didn't mean to close the conversation but he's already heading down anyway. Before heading down yourself, you grab the microphone, your shoes, and the one bowling ball you keep handy on the rare occasion that you play a few games during your shift.

James is putting on the bowling shoes when you plop your things down on a chair on the opposite side of him. He looks over at you and raises a questioning eyebrow.

"Are you allowed to do that?"

"Mhm. As long as I help our few customers, I can bowl. Let's be honest here; we both know the food bar is the biggest reason anyone ever comes here."

"I don't know about that, but I'll take your word for it."

This time you're the one who pulls a questioning visage.

"I think people come for the quality banter with a certain cashier," he explains, surprising you. You haven't even spoken with him much beyond asking him questions.

"All I've done is ask you a couple of questions," you say, voicing your thoughts.

"Eeehhh, I just get the feeling you offer up good banter."

You laugh at that but decide not to argue any further. It's nice talking to James. He has a girlfriend of course so he's off-limits. You can respect that. A girl and guy can hang out and hit it off without getting into or being in a relationship. Yeah, you hope other people will get that if news of this meeting gets into a video. You know there are people who just love assuming a girl and guy spending time together have something going on in the background.

Halfway into the first game, you realize that you should've just used a house ball. James is gaping at you like you just revealed you could walk on water.

"Wow, you're really good at this," he says, still in a trance of amazement. "I am so bad," he says, referring to his current score of 10 in the fifth frame.

"Don't feel too bad," you reply, smiling shyly, as if you should be embarrassed by your skill. "I've been bowling since my freshman year of high school. I would be worried if I wasn't doing well."

"Hm. Assuming you saw the video, you know this; when I was a freshman in prepatory school, I tried newspaper. Newspaper."

You laugh one of those quick, through-your-nose laughs. "To put your comics on it, so it wasn't so bad."

"Well sophomore year I tried track and field and you know how well that went."

You nod, trying not to snort again. "It's alright; sports aren't for everyone. I would be a traitor - and a liar - to say that bowling isn't exercise, but I do know there are people who don't think of bowling as a sport or exercise - it's kind of a stretch in either direction."

"Hm. Sounds like a collaboration topic. Well, y'know, if you had a YouTube channel."

You know that you would love to, however, you value your private life. Collaborating with such a famous Youtuber would earn you a whole lot of attention.

"Ah, I don't upload anything," you say, shaking your head. "Otherwise, I would love to."

He nods with a face of understanding. "Alright. So, you gonna' teach me how to bowl?"


End file.
